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en-usCopyright 2015 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/18/steam-discounts-lots-of-mmos-for-the-holidays/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/18/steam-discounts-lots-of-mmos-for-the-holidays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/18/steam-discounts-lots-of-mmos-for-the-holidays/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsSteam's winter sale is upon us, which means it's time to celebrate the season the way gamers do: by opening up our wallets. Here are just some of the MMOs running sales through Steam:

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apb-reloadedchristmaschristmas-2014dc-universe-onlinedcuoesoeveeve-onlineholidaylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrmabinogiperpetuumriftsalesalesstar-trek-onlinesteamsteam-salestothe-elder-scrolls-onlinethe-secret-worldtswwakfuwinter-2014winter-holidaywinter-holidayswinter-holidays-2014winter-saleThu, 18 Dec 2014 13:30:00 -0500319|21118480http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/29/shadow-of-mordor-season-pass-trailer-tastes-a-little-sauron/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Joystiq&ncid=rss_semi
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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment may have revealed its $25 season pass for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor last month, but it's now offering a closer look at the add-ons that pass holders are guaranteed access to. The DLC includes an exclusive Guardians of the Flaming Eye mission and two story missions, Lord of the Hunt and The Bright Lord.

The latter quest has players controlling Celebrimbor, "the great Elven smith of the Second Age," eventually encountering the Tolkien universe's primary antagonist, Sauron. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will launch tomorrow for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game were delayed to November 18 earlier this month. It received good marks critically, including our five-star review that praised the Mordor's Nemesis system. Head past the break to see the game's season pass trailer.

Pop quiz: What color is orc blood? Buzz. Time's up. We're not going to tell you the answer, but if you still don't know, watch the latest trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Just 20 seconds or so will do.

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Following the release of the Star Citizen ship hangar module, one fan has taken it upon himself to create some awesome atmospheric videos of the ships in planetary environments like jungles and caves. The game continues to climb toward its ultimate funding goal and has hit the $19 million mark. And if you love sci-fi games but haven't really been paying attention to Elite: Dangerous, it's definitely time to start keeping an eye on it. An incredible new trailer showing a potential vision target for the game's art design and gameplay has absolutely blown away fans and given us a first glimpse at what the studio is aiming for.

League of Legends' World Championship got underway this weekend with its first series of 10 qualifying matches, and Riot Games is now trying a new strategy to battle antisocial behaviour. Third-person MOBA SMITE has also finally released the lightning-wielding uber-god Zeus as a playable character. On a less positive note, Guardians of Middle-Earth players on PC are now badly struggling to find other humans to play with as the average daily player count has dropped to around 50.

Red 5 Studios laid off 10% of its staff and announced that Firefall's PvP portion will be shut down soon pending a complete revamp at an unspecified point in the future. Diablo III fansite DiabloFans has been data-mining the latest game update for clues about what might be in store for the game's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion, including a ton of changes coming to existing skills. And Path of Exile is celebrating its popular Skin Transfer microtransaction with a new Well-Dressed Exile fashion competition.

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action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetbetablizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabencloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3data-miningdavid-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-ladderdotae-sporte-sportseliteesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsfrozen-orbgaminggearGamingGear.eugodgodsgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthjetballladderleague-of-legendsLemondogslightninglollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmomgonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileplanetplanetsplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpreaper-of-soulsred-5-studiosriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fiSK-Telecom-T1smitestar-citizensteamchartsteam-solo-midthird-personThrowing-my-money-at-the-screen-but-nothing-is-happeningtrailertsmtsm-snapdragonvideowarner-brosworld-championshipsxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zeuszombie-studiosMon, 16 Sep 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20721107http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/09/09/not-so-massively-elites-space-stations-lol-world-championship/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/09/09/not-so-massively-elites-space-stations-lol-world-championship/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/09/09/not-so-massively-elites-space-stations-lol-world-championship/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsStar Citizen came one step closer to hitting its total required funding this week as it passed the $18 million mark, unlocking an exclusive star system for all crowdfunding backers. Developers took the opportunity to announce the contents of the $20 million stretch goal and plans for further stretch goals after hitting its total funding goal. Elite: Dangerous showed off new space station concept art and a great-looking in-engine render of the Federal Battle Cruiser in its latest newsletter, then delved into details of its modular space station system.

The final teams have been selected for the League of Legends 2013 World Championship, which is set to begin next week on Sunday, the 15th September, and will continue for three weeks. The overall tournament winner will receive the top prize of $1,000,000 US, with a further $1,000,000 spread among the other teams based on how well they do in the tournament. Console-born MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth enraged fans this week by bundling Raptr with the game download and giving away copies of DLC that some players had paid $70 for.

It was revealed this week that parts of Diablo III's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion will be released in a free patch for all current players and that the expansion will feature the game's first fully randomised tileset. Further details of the Mystic artisan and her enchanting abilities have also been revealed. And Path of Exile fixed a series of abusable bugs in its skill cooldown system, and players finally discovered what the mysterious new Empower support gem does.

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2013action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabencash-prizeCloud-9cloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportseliteesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedFnaticfpsfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsGamania-BearsGambit-BenQgamescomGamingGearGamingGear.eugothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthInternational WildcardInternationalWildcardlagleague-of-legendsLemondogslollootlord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmillion-dollarsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayerMVP-OzoneNajin-Black-Swordnewsnot-so-massivelynsmOMGonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileplanetplanetsplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvprandomrandomisedraptrraptr-rewardsreaper-of-soulsriotriot-gamesround-uproundupRoyal-Club-Huang-Zurpgsandboxsci-fiSK-Telecom-T1space-stationspace-stationsstar-citizenstationssteamTeam-MineskiTeam-SoloMidtournamentvideoVulcun-Techbargainswarner-broswestmarchworld-championshipsxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zombie-studiosMon, 09 Sep 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20714786http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/09/02/not-so-massively-pax-prime-moba-tournaments-and-star-citizen/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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It's PAX Prime week, and that means it's time for competitive MOBA tournaments! League of Legends led the pack with its North American Regional Playoffs to determine which team will represent the region in the world championship. Third-person MOBA SMITE ran a full stage event for its $20,000 5x5 North American Invitational Tournament and showed off new character Zhong Kui for the first time. Dota 2 fans were outraged to find that the game was no longer available on the freeplay computers, prompting accusations of its being purposely uninstalled to promote competing games.

Guardians of Middle-Earth launched on Steam this week to a deluge of complaints, negative feedback, and refund requests after it emerged that the game's peer-to-peer networking isn't working well on PC. Sneaky Games announced its intention to release console MOBA Arena of Heroes on the OUYA crowdfunded console, and developers looked at the game's upcoming Patch 1.4.

Star Citizen's showing at PAX and recent release of the hangar module have helped push the game's crowdfunding tally over the $17 million mark, making it all but certain that the team will reach the ultimate $20 million goal. Diablo III officially launches on PS3 and XBox 360 tomorrow, and developers revealed that a PS4 version is already in the works. And Path of Exile's developers passed on PAX Prime this year and instead worked on the next update, which introduces the Endless Ledge event and a strange new Empower support gem.

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action-mmoaction-rpgarena-of-heroesbattlecruiserbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbugcash-prizeclassic-mmoclgcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingcomplaintsconsolecounter-logic-gamingcursed3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidignitasdotadota-2e-sporte-sportsempowerendless-ledgeesportesportseventeventsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgodgodsgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthhangar-modulehangar-module-lauchhi-rez-studiosjankyleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamobilemonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnorth-americanorth-americannot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatchpath-of-exilepaxpax-primepax-prime-2013planetsideplayer-owned-stationplaystation-networkpoeportpsps-vitaps1ps3ps4psnpvpreaper-of-soulsriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fiseason-foursmitesneakyGamessoesony-online-entertainmentstar-citizensteamsupport-gemteam-solo-midthird-persontournamenttsmvalvevideowarner-broswingmans-hangarxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zombie-studiosMon, 02 Sep 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20708834http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/19/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-ad-backlash-gome-on-pc-and-smite/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Warner Bros. Interactive announced this week that console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth will soon be released on the PC via Steam. The game will not be free-to-play but will come with the Survivor mode that the console release saw back in February. Massively tested Infinite Crisis' new Coast City marina map, and developers invited fans to playtest new champion Atomic Wonder Woman at Gamescom 2013. Third-Person MOBA SMITE completely overhauled its main Conquest map with sharp new 3-D models and more neutral textures. And Heroes of Newerth revealed big matchmaking changes coming in its upcoming patch 3.2.1.

Expansion speculation is mounting after the Diablo III development team released a new teaser site linking the recently registered trademark "Reaper of Souls" to the franchise. Blizzard has also been the target of some fan backlash after showing off the first television advert for its upcoming console release. Path of Exile's load times will be cut significantly in upcoming patch 0.11.4 thanks to new artwork optimisations. And Star Citizen answered more fan questions this week and has released a new website showing the stats of all current ships.

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action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionadvertadvertisementartartworkAtomic-Wonder-Womanbatmanbattle.net-desktop-clientbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchainsawchris-robertscloud-imperiumcoast-city-marinacompetitive-gamingcompressionconsoled3dcdc-comicsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgamescomGamescom-2013godgodsgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhoninfinite-crisisjokerload-timesloading-timeslord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingMatchmaking-queueMatchmaking-Ratingmiddle-earthmmrmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropinionoptimisationpath-of-exileplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvprankedround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fismitestar-citizensteamsupermantelevisionthe-jokerthird-personturbinetvunrankedvideovideoswarcraftwarner-broswingmans-hangarwonder-womanworld-of-warcraftwowxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zombie-studiosMon, 19 Aug 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20697356http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsDota 2 celebrated the incredible sales of its world championship interactive compendium with free gifts for all players; the compendium has now sold over 266,000 units, raising the prize fund in The International to over $2,000,000 US. Third-person MOBA SMITE has recently entered the competitive tournament scene with two new weekly $1,000 tournaments. Rise of Immortals also announced its first competitive tournament since the Battle For Graxia update and revealed details of its hilariously-named ranged centaur character Murderhoof.

League of Legends revealed the new custom item set feature coming in Patch 3.7 and published a new champion spotlight video on classic ranged carry Ashe. Guardians of Middle-Earth also released its latest paid DLC character, The Mouth of Sauron, based on a character who was originally cut from the cinematic release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Diablo III celebrated the first anniversary of its release on May 15th with anniversary livestreams and a magic-find bonus for all players. The latest patch also raised the increments in which money can be sold on the Real Money Auction House to ten million in response to massive oversupply. Path of Exile revealed details of its upcoming Patch 0.1.1.0 that will add new party loot options and other features, and Star Citizen showed off its new website with a special e-commerce section in which players can buy ships for cash.

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action-mmoaction-rpganniversaryanniversary-eventashebattle-for-graxiabattlenetbirthdayblizzardblizzard-entertainmentCompendiumcompetitive-gamingconsolecustom-item-setCustom-Item-Setsd3dawngatediablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgaslightgodgodsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthinfinite-crisisInteractive-Compendiumisisjokerleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmouth-of-sauronmultiplayermurderhoofnewsnot-so-massivelynsmone-yearone-year-anniversaryonline-multiplayeropinionpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgskarasmitethe-jokerthe-mouth-of-sauronthird-personvalvevideovideoswarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:00 -0400319|20574976http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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If you've been following the development of upcoming crowdfunded sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen with interest, Massively has a brand-new column you might enjoy. The Diablo III test realm hinted at upcoming boosts to life regeneration and the damage output of a few spells, but Blizzard also suggested that a nerf to the Wizard Archon Form might be on the way. Path of Exile started its second season of race events, with over 200 events to take part in and massive prizes to be won.

Third-person MOBA SMITE added the 34th god to its roster this week with acrobatic assassin Ne Zha entering the fray, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released new DLC character Kili the Dwarf. Rise of Immortals added support for game replays and introduced and interesting new White Knight feature that lets players take over from characters who have disconnected or quit in the middle of a game.

Heroes of Newerth announced a huge upcoming balance patch that may finally get rid of the paid-for early hero access and promises to rebalance much of the game's expansive roster of characters. Dota 2's streamlined abuse report update backfired when players discovered they could use the report feature itself to abuse other players. And Firefall may finally be edging toward release with the announcement of a date for the start of open beta.

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abuseaction-mmoaction-rpgArmillary-Sashbalance-patchbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dwarfe-sporte-sportseaearly-accessesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfire-batsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourkilileague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeldingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayerne-zhanewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpray-of-frostred-5-studiosreplayriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizenterrauniverse-ringvalvevideowarner-broswhite-knightwhite-knight-queuewitch-doctorwizardwrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20546311http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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It seems as if everyone is jumping on the MOBA bandwagon lately and trying to cut a slice of the action for himself. Creative Assembly announced that the next game in the Total War series will be a MOBA with RTS elements named Total War: Arena. MMO developer Turbine has also thrown its hat in the ring, teaming up with Warner Bros. and DC comics to develop a MOBA based on the Infinite Crisis DC storyline.

League of Legends continued its plans to revamp old characters with overhauls to Sejuani and Trundle. Developers also revealed upcoming Ice Witch champion Lissandra, a crowd-controlling mage who can cast some of her spells mana-free. Guardians of Middle-Earth finally released Frodo Baggins as a DLC character, and Heroes of Newerth announced that the $60,000 grand final of HonTour Season One will take place later this month in Las Vegas.

In a new Diablo III developer journal, Blizzard discussed its efforts to get players into multiplayer and public games, including some gameplay improvements and a new matchmaking tag system. Path of Exile's Patch 0.10.5 went live today, adding three powerful new support gems, four new unique items, and several balance changes and bug-fixes. And Torchlight II gave modders a huge gift this week by releasing its in-house development tools to the public and officially adding Steam Workshop support to the game.

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A demo of Diablo III running on the PS3 was shown at PAX East 2013 this week, and developers confirmed that the game is not necessarily exclusive to Sony. Many PC players have been enraged by the demo, which showed improved loot and singleplayer features developers had previously said were not possible. Red 5 Studios was also at PAX this week to reveal its ambitious plans for a gaming TV channel. The studio plans to expand its gaming video channel Stage 5 with several new high-quality shows about indie games, cosplay, and gaming tropes. Path of Exile also released information on three completely overpowered new support gems currently in alpha testing for its upcoming Patch 0.10.5.

In MOBA news, League of Legends officially launched in Italy this week with a huge launch ceremony in Rome. Several professional players were unrelatedly banned for boosting other players' stats artificially, and one team was given its final warning for using a DDoS attack during a match. Heroes of Newerth received new melee strength hero Prisoner 945, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released a free map update along with a purchasable spider character DLC. Upcoming MOBA SMITE was given a loose launch window of summer 2013, and Russian MOBA Prime World took a big step toward European and US launches with the translation of much of its Russian website into English.

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action-mmoaction-rpgbanbansbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcheatcheatingclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsolecosplaycrystal-grazianod3ddosdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidosdotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgame-changersgood-game-universitygothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonitalianitalyleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeleemiddle-earthmirkwoodmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmofflineoffline-modeoffline-playonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepaxpax-eastPAX-East-2013planetsideplaystation-networkpoeprime-worldPrisonerPrisoner-945Prisoner945project-cosplaypsps1ps3psnpvevppvpreal-money-auction-housered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-the-indiesrmahround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessci-fishackledsingleplayersoesony-online-entertainmentspiderstage-5steve-wangUnglobvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20515922http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Doubts were cast on SimCity's always-online requirement this week when a player managed to hack the game into playing completely offline despite developers saying it wouldn't be possible. Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw also caught a lot of flack from gamers this week for claiming that the game was in many ways an MMO. Petroglyph's Victory Kickstarter that we announced last week has now been cancelled, making the future of the game uncertain.

League of Legends revealed its plans to finally update two-year-old champion Karma and release new champion Zac, who is literally a pile of green goop. Guardians of Middle-Earth published iconic character Saruman as a new piece of DLC, and SMITE added new god Aphrodite, who heals and supports her teammates with hugs and kisses.

In addition to fixing some major bugs, Diablo III's recent patch 1.07a was shown to have nerfed many popular Wizard builds, including critical mass Energy Twister and Meteor builds. Path of Exile's latest patch added a new Cyclone skill that's reminiscent of the Diablo II Whirlwind skill and introduced three fun new game types for this season's upcoming race events.

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action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlineAphroditebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcitycity-buildingcompetitive-gamingconsolecritical-masscrowdfundingcycloned3dhalsimdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidisintegratedlcdotadrme-sporte-sportseaenergy-twisteresportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflubberfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthkarmakickstarterleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrlucy-bradshawmaxismeteormiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtssarumansimcityvictoryvideowarner-broswhirlwindwizardwizard-buildxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zacMon, 18 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20507050http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/guardians-of-middle-earth-a-fun-game-doomed-by-its-business-mod/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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The MOBA genre has exploded in recent years, with global giant League of Legends becoming the most actively played video game in the world and competitive tournaments getting more viewers than some televised sports. Today's MOBAs appeal to casual and competitive gamers alike, but until recently very few had crossed the console barrier. Released on PS3 and XBox 360 last December, Guardians of Middle-Earth took traditional DotA gameplay and made the quite experimental leap onto consoles.

I'm not much of a console gamer (you can take my mouse and keyboard away when you pry them from my cold, dead hands), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how Guardians of Middle-Earth stacks up against its PC-based counterparts. Monolith Studios has done great things in adapting MOBA gameplay to a console control scheme and audience, and the core game really is a lot of fun to play. But in charging an initial purchase price for a game that relies on having a large community, publisher Warner Bros. may have accidentally consigned Guardians to the scrapheap.

In this hands-on opinion piece, I explore Guardians of Middle-Earth and ask why it's already a ghost town just three months after launch.

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aiartificial-intelligenceartificial-stupiditybeltbeltsbotsconsoleconsolesdominiondotae-sportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgemsheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosplaystation-networkps3psnqueuequeuesrelicstutorialvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 -0400319|20486078http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Fresh from its work on End of Nations, developer Petroglyph launched a Kickstarter campaign this week for its own online RTS Victory. The campaign hit $19,574 in the first five days but has a long way to go to hit its $700,000 target. SimCity's always-online DRM backfired spectacularly as launch server capacity and stability issues left thousands unable to play what they thought of as a largely singleplayer game.

Diablo III revealed details of its upcoming loot overhaul that will make legendary items a little more legendary and rare items and good bit rarer. Path of Exile's patch 1.10.2 was deployed successfully, adding a few item mods and significantly improving the Duelist class area of the passive skill tree.

League of Legends celebrated its 100th Summoner Showcase with a look back at the community's best creative output and announced a brand-new comic contest that will see players voting for the winner. SMITE announced its $10,000 PAX East invitational tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth tempted players back with 75,000 free in-game gold in a new weekend event.

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action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcitycity-buildingcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfailed-launchfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgames-as-a-servicegames-as-a-service-sucksgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshi-rez-studiosinfernoitemitemskickstarterlaunchlaunchesleague-of-legendslegendarieslegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslogin-queueslollootlord-of-the-ringslotrmaxismiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtsserver-downtimeserver-queuessimcityvictoryvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400319|20496206http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with the release of several new characters, a ton of balance changes, and even a game closing down for good. League of Legends announced that it will start officially supporting Mac and released a new Smart Ping system designed to help players work together as a team despite language barriers. SMITE showed off its new crowd-controlling water god, Poseidon, and console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth released a new Survival game mode DLC.

We heard the unfortunate news that Wrath of Heroes will be closing its doors at the end of the month, and it's not the only game going out of business. Online FPS Bullet Run, formerly known as Hedone, is due to shut down on Friday, March 8th, in a big final event. It's not all doom and gloom, though, as Dota 2 has hit another impressive milestone, passing 300,000 peak concurrent players. The first season of Heroes of Newerth's HoN Tour league is soon to draw to a close, and developers are planning a huge balance patch before the next season kicks off.

Blizzard enraged Diablo III fans this week with the announcement that the console version will not feature the controversial always-online DRM and can be played offline. Path of Exile detailed its next open beta patch, which is due to introduce a new fire skill, a 3v3 dueling arena, and significant Duelist class buffs. Online FPS Firefall produced a new trailer this week showing off its flight gameplay amidst criticism from fans over its lack of beta content. Finally, sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen gave fans a look behind the curtain of game development in its biggest development update video yet.

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action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetbiowareblitzcrankblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbullet-runcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconcurrent-playersconsolecontroversyd3dev-diarydiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidlcdotadota-2drmdueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflyingfree-to-playgame-closureglidinggoblin-towngothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshedoneheroes-of-newerthhonhon-touriblitzcrankjetpackjetpackskrakenleague-of-legendslollol-mac-clientlord-of-the-ringslotrmacmac-clientmapmapsmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepingplaystation-networkpoeposeidonps3psnpvprecordriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fismart-pingsony-online-entertainmentstar-citizensteamsunsetsurvivalvalvevideovideoswarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohwrath-of-heroeswrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0500319|20486179http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsBlizzard revealed this week that Diablo III will be coming to both the PlayStation 3 and Sony's new PlayStation 4 console and will be shown off at PAX. Torchlight II developer Runic Games announced that the game will soon be localised to Japanese and Chinese for its upcoming release in Asia; a free DLC is on the way with three new Asian-themed pets. Path of Exile revealed the schedule for its first full season of ladder-style race events and announced new account security options along with its new policy to never restore items from hacked accounts.

League of Legends unveiled its new champion duo, Quinn and Valor, a dynamic pair of characters that work together as a single champion to dominate teamfights. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero with a video spotlight on Saloman, a melee support hero who gains power from movement and can heal and shield his allies.

Dota 2 added a new Hero Build feature to its beta this week, giving players access to community-produced skill and item builds for all heroes. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its new goblin DLC character Snaga, and online FPS Blacklight: Retribution detailed its upcoming Onslaught expansion, which comes with three new game modes.

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action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionasiabattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchampionchineseclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsoleconsolesd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dupeduplicatione-sporte-sportsesportesportseventeventsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesherohero-buildsheroes-of-newerthhonitem-dupeitem-duplicationjapanjapaneseladderlast-man-standingleague-of-legendslocalisationlocalizationlollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmists-of-pandariammofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeronslaughtpath-of-exilepaxperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplanetsideplaystation-3playstation-4playstation-networkpoepsps1ps3ps4psnpvppwequinnquinn-and-valorrace-eventrace-eventsretributionriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessalomansci-fisearch-and-destroysimplified-chineseSnagasoesony-online-entertainmenttraditional-chinesevalorvalvevideowarcraftwarner-brosworld-of-warcraftwowxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 -0500319|20475127http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsPath of Exile continued upgrading its servers to cope with the increasing load of new players following its open beta release, closing the servers for three hours this week to add several new database servers. Massively exclusively revealed Blacklight: Retribution's new Safehold and metro maps, and Firefall developer Red 5 Studios explained its development plans for the next quarter.

Rise of Immortals released a spotlight video on its new long-range mage immortal Undine, while Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its latest two DLC characters Radagast the Brown Wizard and Glóin, father of Gimli.

League of Legends made some balance changes to its Honor system, which rewards players for being nice to each other. Riot also talked to some of Season 3's newest competitive players about what being a professional gamer means to them. Dota 2 finally got its long-awaited team matchmaking system this week, and community broadcaster Beyond The Summit launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for full-time tournament broadcasting.

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action-mmoantisocial-behaviorbattle-for-graxiabeyond-the-summitblacklightblacklight-retributionbroadcastersbroadcastingcompetitive-gamingconsolediablodotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgimligloingraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshonorhonor-systemleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmetromicrotransactionsmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosnewsnot-so-massivelynsmpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweradagastred-5-studiosretributionriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uproundupSafeholdserverserver-downtimeserversteam-matchmakingtournamenttournamentsundinevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 -0500319|20455434http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/not-so-massively-cash-prize-moba-tournaments-and-crowdfunding-s/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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The League of Legends North American online qualifiers took place this weekend, with 32 teams competing for just eight spots in the upcoming offline qualifiers in Los Angeles. Dota 2's competitive tournament scene suffered a setback when tournament website joinDOTA had its YouTube account and channel inexplicably closed. Rise of Immortals is gearing up for its first official tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth has $5,000 up for grabs in its first console MOBA e-sports cups.

The Kickstarter campaign for Elite: Dangerous blasted through its goal in the final two days thanks to a huge wave of last-minute pledges. Off the back of the popularity of its own crowdfunding campaign, action RPG Path of Exile upgraded and battle-tested its servers to handle over 50,000 concurrent players.

Upcoming MOBA Sins of a Dark Age aims to add a twist to the modern MOBA with randomly spawned Realm Quests that add another tactical level to the standard 5v5 gameplay. Finally, Blizzard highlighted several player-made videos this week showing some of the optimum Diablo III farming routes for players on the race to paragon level 100.

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action-mmoaction-rpgAlkaizerbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabencashCash-Prizescash-tournamentcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesironcladironclad-gamesleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerparagonparagon-levelpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpreal-questsriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fisins-of-a-dark-ageTobiWanKenobitournamentvalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:00:00 -0500319|20418064http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsDiablo III players are sure to have mixed feelings this week as Blizzard announced that 1v1 dueling will be released in the new year but that the anticipated arena and team deathmatch gameplay has been scrapped. Path of Exile revealed the impressive winning entries in its recent fan art competition and has ended the year on a high note by winning the IndieDB Players Choice Upcoming Indie Game 2012 award.

SMITE celebrated the end of the Mayan calendar (and not the world) with the release of its new Mayan god Xbalanque, and Rise of Immortals gave its old immortal Kaos a graphical facelift. Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its second DLC pack based on The Hobbit, introducing Thorin Oakenshield and Great Goblin as playable characters. Bloodline Champions may not be having a very good end to 2012 as its Russian servers are set to close in the new year, and Heroes of Newerth player stonefain ushered in the new year by finishing off his 21-video Tip of the Day series.

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action-mmoaction-rpgbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingconsoled3deathmatchdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotaduelinge-sporte-sportsend-of-the-worldesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygraxiagreat-goblingrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonjay-wilsonkaoslord-of-the-ringslotrmayanmayan-calendarmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvprise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrussiarussians2s2-gamesserverserversshutdownstonefainstunlockstunlock-studiosteam-deathmatchthorin-oakenshieldtip-of-the-daytipstips-and-tricksvideowarner-brosXbalanquexboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:00:00 -0500319|20413580http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/17/not-so-massively-of-hobbits-and-space-ships/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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David Braben released a new update on the development of upcoming sci-fi sandbox game Elite: Dangerous, while the success of the game's Kickstarter campaign still remains uncertain. Star Citizen's developers revealed several of the game's ships; developer Chris Roberts made the bold claim that the studio will "compete with any AAA game out there."

To celebrate the recent cinema release of The Hobbit, console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its Hobbit-themed DLC that lets you play as Bilbo Baggins and includes a new playable map of The Shire. Dota 2 revealed its own new DLC with the impressive winners of its fan-designed hero skin contest and passed the 200,000 peak concurrent user mark despite still being officially in beta. Likewise, despite having just entered beta itself, Rise of Immortals announced that its first official winter tournament is scheduled for next month. League of Legends also celebrated the winter holiday with an adorable gingerbread baking contest.

Blizzard has been catching some flack for the lack of promised PvP features in Diablo III, and now it looks as if we won't even be getting information on the patch until next year. Blizzard has also unofficially got a version of the game running on non-PC hardware, which could signal a possible upcoming console release. Path of Exile continued to gear up for its January release with load-testing events and a series of new ladder events. And Torchlight II's developers round out the year with a look back at the game's development and some hints as to what might come next for the franchise.

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action-mmoaction-rpgbattle-for-graxiabattlenetbilbobilbo-bagginsblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabenccpccp-gameschris-robertscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoleconsolesd3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteelite-dangerousesportesportseveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshobbithobbit-gamehobbitsjay-wilsonkickstarterleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamessandboxsci-fispacespace-shipsspaceshipsstar-citizenthe-hobbitthe-shirevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:00:00 -0500319|20404384http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/04/guardians-of-middle-earth-brings-competitive-moba-gaming-to-cons/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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It seems as if the world has gone MOBA-mad in recent years, with Dota 2 launching the first ever million-dollar competitive tournament and League of Legends becoming the most played game in the world. While there are plenty of PC games following in the competitive footsteps of classic DotA, the console market has remained largely untested. Today that changed with the launch of Guardians of Middle-Earth, the first 3-D console MOBA to be designed for classic DotA-style competitive matches.

Guardians of Middle-Earth gives players control of iconic characters from the Lord of the Rings lore, like Gandalf and Gollum. Each character has an array of special abilities, and teams of five players battle against each other in short competitive matches. A streamlined item system and directional attacks adapt the game for the controls and faster pace of gameplay console gamers expect, but it remains to be seen whether the console audience will form a hardcore competitive tournament scene. The game went live on the Playstation Network today and goes live on XBox Live Arcade tomorrow.

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competitivecompetitive-gamingconsoleguardians-of-middle-earthlaunchlauncheslord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobanew-releasesplaystation-3ps3pvptournamenttournamentsxboxxbox-360Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:00:00 -0500319|20393548http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/not-so-massively-no-pvp-gear-in-diablo-iii-and-the-first-conso/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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It's been a relaxed week for MOBA news as developers return from DreamHack Winter 2012 and the Thanksgiving break. League of Legends took things slowly with a look at competitive gamer Alex Ich's favourite champion. The Dota 2 scene also took it easy with a relaxed tournament at the World Cyber Games. Bloodline Champions players have noticed that every week seems to be slow in the game and have started looking for ways to draw in new players.

Not every studio has had time to chill out this week, however, as Monolith Studios prepares to launch its console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth. As part of the run-up to launch, developers released a new video looking at team-based strategies and introduced new heroes Haldir and Lugbol. Rise of Immortals' massive Battle For Graxia overhaul is also gearing up for launch and is now officially in open beta.

Diablo III game designer Jay Wilson confirmed that there are no plans for PvP-specific gear in the game and promised that an update on the development of PvP arenas will be released "very soon." The Path of Exile developers promised to announce the final date for open beta soon as well and teased players this week with a colossal 25MB image of the game's full passive skill tree.

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action-mmoaction-rpgbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesindieindie-dbinfernojay-wilsonleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsround-uprounduprpgstunlockstunlock-studiosvalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:00:00 -0500319|20392333http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/26/not-so-massively-dreamhack-winter-2012-and-athenes-naked-diab/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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One of the world's biggest annual LAN parties took place this week at DreamHack Winter 2012, where the European e-sports communities faced off in a series of huge tournaments. League of Legends' tense tournament was streamed around the world as favourite CLG.EU suffered defeat at the hands of Fnatic.RaidCall. Dota 2's Corsair Vengeance Cup followed up with one of the most spectacular grand finals in MOBA history, as relatively unknown team NoTidehunter completely demolished Evil Geniuses with an incredible never-before-seen baiting tactic.

Heroes of Newerth pulled out the big guns with a massive $32,000 US top prize for its DreamHoN tournament and also revealed its new stealthy assassin hero, Grinex. Blizzard conceded that it has no plans to develop a Diablo III e-sports scene despite plans to introduce PvP arenas by the end of the year, and livestreamer Athene shocked fans when he managed to kill Diablo in the game's toughest difficulty setting with a naked character. Path of Exile continued its own competitive ladders this week and delivered a huge progress update on the development of the game's third act.

Console gamers who are looking for something new will probably want to get their hands on the first console MOBA, Guardians of Middle-Earth, but they may not be familiar with MOBA gameplay. Developers released the fourth video in a new series designed to explain the genre's gameplay to console players, delving into the game's potion and item system. If mobile gaming is more your thing, mobile MMO Order & Chaos Online produced a brand-new spinoff game this week: Heroes of Order & Chaos, set to become the world's first mobile MOBA when it releases for free on Android and iOS.

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action-mmoaction-rpgandroidathenebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentclgclg-eucompetitive-gamingconsolecorsair-vengeancecounter-logic-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dreamhackdreamhack-2012dreamhack-winterdreamhack-winter-2012Dreamhone-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfnatic-raidcallfree-to-playgameloftgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesgrinexheroes-of-newerthhoninfernoipadiphoneleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamobilemonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernakednaked-boss-killnaked-killnewsnot-so-massivelyNoTidehunternsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilephoneplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesroshanround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesvalvevengeance-cupvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:00:00 -0500319|20387697http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/19/not-so-massively-star-citizen-moba-heroes-and-no-pvp-for-d3/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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Sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen secured $2.1 million US on Kickstarter this week, adding to the $4.1 million in crowdfunding the game has already received. League of Legends released new champion Zed, a deadly assassin who can summon his own shadow as an ally, and SMITE unveiled the hilarious Bacchus, Roman god of wine, lewd behavour, and madness. Valve announced a new Dota 2 chat feature that promises to break down the language barrier between MOBA players in different countries, and a new strategy threatens to upset the game's map balance in favour of the Radiant side.

As developers geared up for next month's launch, Guardians of Middle-Earth looked back at the PAX 2012 tournament that pitted the fresh-faced general public against a team of professionals. With the end of the year fast approaching, there are still no signs of Diablo III's promised PvP arena patch despite assurances that it's still under development. Path of Exile will open to the public next month, complete with its own PvP arenas and three finished acts. Developers showed off part of the third act this week in a new Build of the Week video.

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In a flurry of sci-fi sandbox kickstarting this week, Star Citizen's crowdfunding campaign passed the million dollar mark and David Braben revealed plans for a sequel to the incredibly successful Elite series. Diablo III announced a wave of bans linked to the use of third-party launcher and botting software and revealed that an expansion is on the way.Path of Exile continued on the path to open beta this week with the announcement of a secure trade system and two closed-beta hardcore race events. League of Legends began preparations for its upcoming third competitive season this week as developers explored item balance and jungling changes on the way. Plans include making early game jungler ganks less viable and introducing new items for specialised builds.

Heroes of Newerth's voting system was made anonymous in this week's patch in an effort to prevent players from being singled out or pressured into conceding matches. Dota 2 released its hilarious Reverse Captain's Mode, which lets each team pick the heroes it wants the other team to play. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth announced its release date this week and revealed two new heroes, Thráin and Gothmog. Finally, Prime World gave details of its persistent castle system, which may tie the game into Facebook.